Solstice
by H. James
Summary: BRUCAS oneshot. It's a songfic, it's actually an unaired scene from episode 4.13, before Brooke's date with Chase.


This is a oneshot songfic based on _Solstice_ by Malbec. This song was played during a OTH promo but never actually on an episode. The lyrics are amazing and I just fell in love with the song and had to use for some fic. And it's a BL one, actually it's like an unaired scene from episode 4.12, before Brooke went on her date with Chase and Lucas went to the nightclub watch Nathan and the other guys. I hope you enjoy it and review it, please!! Thank you!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own One Tree Hill or its characters.

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The cold breeze entered through the open window, making the room colder. Brooke was inside the walking closet when she felt the cold chill coming from outside and rushed to close the window on her side of the bedroom. She stopped to look around and saw Rachel's empty bed. The girl had gone out just a little earlier with Bevin but she wasn't too sure where they went. And she didn't really care. She had a date, after all. Chase was the new hot guy in school and she had some work to do with him. The fact that he was a Clean Teen wasn't a turn off at all, if possible, it was just something else to overcome. 

_I'm two steps from total collapse  
__And one step from turning right back_

Her bed was filled with clothes she had picked out from the closet and thrown away because it wasn't cute enough, or made her look fat, or it didn't match her earrings or it just wasn't hip enough. Sighing, she put both hands on her waist and glanced over her side of the closet. It was almost empty and she hadn't decided what to wear yet. Why was that so hard for her? Just a couple of weeks ago she'd easily picked out an outfit to go on a date with Nick. Before she found out he was her teacher _and _cheating on her. Oh well… she just had to go through Rachel's clothes, then. That if she had anything that didn't scream 'slut'. She opened Rachel's side of the closet and was about to reach out for a dress when she stumbled on a box. She kneeled down to move out of her way when she recognized it. Smiling, she took a seat on the floor next to the box.

_To eight months and nine days exact  
__That moment to final impact_

The box had a bunch of old pictures. Brooke carefully took a handful of them out and started to browse through them. There's was a picture with all the cheerleading squad together at their first cheer competition that made Brooke chuckle. There was one of her and Peyton making an angry face to the camera that Brooke stared to for a moment, breathing slowly. She took just another glance at it and then put it back in the box. Then she found a picture of her at the beach party at the beginning of the year where she was lighting the bonfire. That was a happy picture. And that was a really cute top. Brooke wondered where the top was, she could use that on her date. No, it was too cold outside and that night was a warm night. A weak smile slowly started to form as she remembered that night.

"I'm the guy for you. I know we're just part-time, that's cool. You know, do whatever, have your fun. But one of these nights, you're gonna realize it: I'm the guy for you, Brooke Davis. You'll see."

_A curious turn of events  
__That somehow made your entrance_

Lucas' voice echoed on the back of her mind. She didn't need any more of those nights, that was the moment when she realized it. In fact, she had realized that long before that night, but once she heard it from him, she was sure he knew it, too. But the memory of that night faded when the other recent party came to her mind. The smile on her face faded completely.

"You told me to fight for you and I did. But, you never fought for me. (…) I guess I was wrong. I'm not the guy for you, Brooke Davis."

She shook her head as she shoved the picture back in the box and the box back in the closet. She closed her eyes as she leaned her head against the door. How could he simply change his mind that convincingly in such a short period of time? She sighed again, opening her eyes. Why would she care that much? She was going on a date tonight. And not for the first time since her and Lucas broke up. She was moving on. Wasn't she? She could still remember the look on his face on both occasions. He was being truthful. At least on one of the times.

_With one glance I felt no regret  
__That one look made me forget  
__The circumstances I left_

Fifteen minutes later, Brooke was all dressed, hair and make-up done, inside her car driving away from Rachel's house. She knew exactly where she was supposed to go but she also knew where she needed to be. She drove for about ten minutes and then parked her car and turned off the engine. She took a deep breath as she glanced outside the window, to see the house in front of her. That wasn't where she was supposed to be. Taking the car keys with her, she grabbed her purse, put around her shoulder and got off the car, walking slowly towards the door.

_So maybe, baby, you let me be  
__The one to show you all you need  
__The one to show you all_

She knocked on the door three times and then held her hands together, waiting. The butterflies on her stomach wouldn't stop flipping her wings and she was starting to wonder if that was a smart move after all. No, she thought, it had to be. If she was moving on, she needed to know why. The door is opened and she has no more time to think. Lucas' standing right in front of her with a surprised look.

"Hi…" she weakly spoke.

He took a moment to stare at her and convince himself that was her before he responded, "Hey."

Realizing it was much colder than she thought it was, Brooke rubbed her arms with her hands as she glanced inside his bedroom forcing a smile, "Can I come in? It's freezing out here."

"Sure" he politely stepped aside for her to come in.

_That night we were all alone you showed me  
__Absence's being too hard_

After she was already in, he closed the door and turned around, with one hand inside his pocket and sighed, waiting for her to say something. But she didn't. So they kept staring at each other for a while, Lucas with his hand inside his pocket and Brooke holding her purse's string with both hands. That was awkward and Brooke had forgotten awkwardness with Lucas. They hadn't been like that for a really long time and now that they were again, it reminded her how she didn't miss that one bit.

"It's good to see you" Lucas tried to initiate the conversation.

Brooke couldn't even tell if he really meant that or if he was trying to break the silence. God, that killed her. There was a time when he didn't have to say anything, she knew what he was thinking. But, now…

"It's nice to see you, too" she responded with the same politeness he addressed to her. She sighed, trying to gather enough courage to say what she wanted, "So how's your mom doing?" She couldn't.

Lucas nodded slightly, "She's good."

"And the baby?"

"It's good, too" he nodded again but then shrugged, "She doesn't want to know the sex yet."

"I see" Brooke nodded understandingly.

There was the awkward silence again. This shouldn't be this difficult, Brooke thought. She should be able to speak up her mind to him even though they weren't together anymore. They were still friends, weren't them? Lucas was clearly as uncomfortable as she was.

"Listen, do you have something you wanna talk about? Cause I hate to do this, but I actually have somewhere where I'm supposed to be now, so…"

He was going to finish his sentence but Brooke lifted one hand in the air to make him stop as she nodded, knowing what he meant.

"Yeah, I do. And I have somewhere where I'm supposed to be, too, so… I'll just try to go to the point."

She breathed again, gathering her strengths to speak. He crossed both arms against his chest and stared at her, waiting for her to start talking. She took a moment more to breathe. She could've thought about how to start that conversation before knocking on his door.

"I was going through some stuff in my closet today and I found a picture of me at the beach party this year" she started talking a little too fast but then slowed down, "I was… lightening the bonfire" she cleared her throat, "And I couldn't help but to remember what you said to me that night" she hesitated but finally raised her glance to meet his.

Lucas pressed his lips together as he glanced from Brooke to the bedroom hardwood floor. He let a sigh come out and then looked back up to her. Of course he remembered what he said to her that night, but he didn't know why she was bringing that up now. They were no longer together for a while and he was with Peyton. And she knew that. In fact, she was the one who told him to go after Peyton in the first place. Clearly confused, he shook his head.

"Okay" he waited for her to finish.

"But then" she sighed again. This was harder than she thought, "I remembered the other night, at Rachel's party when you denied what you said the first time. I didn't quite understand why you'd tell me those things the second time 'cause…" she shrugged, "You know, we weren't together anymore. And I know you wanted us to be at least friends and at the time I didn't but… why would you say that?"

Glancing around, Lucas uncrossed his arms and put both hands on his pockets. He scoffed and then shrugged, avoiding looking at her, "Brooke…" he sighed, "Why are you asking me this now?"

_And it breaks you from the start  
Like the solstice succumbs around  
__With the impact from the sun_

She closed her eyes for a second and inhaled. The sound of her name coming from his mouth made her feel a shiver down her spine. There was no turning back now, she had already started talking and if she didn't finish now, she'd never finish.

"I'm about to take a huge step here, Lucas" she pronounced his name on a whisper, "And I just need to get some things straight. OK? I just really need you to explain this to me."

Seeing Lucas' hesitation, Brooke sighed, taking the purse off her shoulder and holding the string by one of her hands as she paced around the room. She stopped closer to the door that led to the rest of the house and turned around to look at him.

"After everything that we said back at Nathan and Haley's wedding… how could you say that to me? That I never fought for you."

There was the need for an answer. A quick and simple answer. Brooke was hoping he'd say something like it was because he wanted to hurt her, or that he had simply stopped loving her. At that point, she didn't care if his words were going to be harsh or whatever, she just needed closure. She needed to hear from him that he had already moved on, so she could do it, too.

"Because…" he started strongly but then his body relaxed in a way like he was letting his defenses down. Taking one step back, he slowly took a seat by his bed, staring at her, "I thought that was what you wanted to hear."

"What?" she asked on an impulse. That wasn't what she was expecting. She saw him looking down and then crossed her arms against her chest. She took a moment, trying to grasp that information. "So…" she started again, on a soft tone, "You didn't mean any of that?"

_A moment of truth, a moment like you  
__I'm thinking out loud, I'm asking you now_

There was a shy smile forming on his lips when he sighed and looked up to her, "I was still in love with you. More than I could handle and…" he shrugged, "I couldn't believe I wasn't the one for you" the smile faded fast and his eyes got sad, "But I wasn't. I'm still not. Not now…" he shook his head and added, "At least. We weren't working anymore and I didn't want to push to the point of us hating each other."

Brooke felt he had something more to say, but he didn't. He stopped and looked down, frowning. She slightly shook her head and uncrossed her arms, "I could _never_ hate you."

Her words were honest and he knew that. He could never hate her either. But he didn't have to say her that, she already knew, just by the look on his face when he lifted his head to meet her eyes. She smiled warmly and he smiled back. For the first time, since Brooke had walked in, he took the time to scan her and properly see what she was wearing. She was all dressed up and he had the feeling it wasn't for him.

"You look pretty."

She looked down at her own outfit and then smiled thankfully, "Thanks. You look good yourself."

Lucas was dressed to go out, too, but he only laughed, "You don't have to say it just because I did."

She laughed along with him but then stopped to stare into his eyes as she nodded, "I mean it."

"Thanks" he nodded, too, getting up.

They were both standing in front of each other on yet another awkward silence. Brooke tucked some of her hair behind her ear as Lucas glanced down to his own shoes. He forced a laugh.

"This is weird."

"But it doesn't have to be anymore, does it?" she asked with weak smile.

He agreed with her. She really wished they would have had that conversation a few weeks before, when there was still time for something to be done. There wasn't now. They were both dressed to go out but not with each other. That wasn't the first time either, but it had just hit her for the first time. By the look on his face, it hit him, too.

_If you are the only one  
__Won't you listen?_

"I should be going" she pointed to the exit door as she walked towards it.

Lucas followed her to the door, opening it for her to leave. She stepped outside and turned around to see him leaving, too. They walked together to their parked cars, in front of the house and stood by the sidewalk as the night got warmer.

"It was good to see you" he said holding his car key on his hands and playing with it.

Brooke nodded along and opened her purse, searching for her car key, "Yeah. It was good to see you, too." She found the key and put the purse back on her shoulder, returning the stare he was giving her.

"Well…" he pointed to his car and she stepped back to go to her car, but he took her hand to stop her.

She held her breath for a moment when she felt his hand on hers and raised her glance to meet his. They got caught up in that moment for more than they should. Then slowly he started to pull her by the hand, closer to him. She let herself be pulled, still holding her breath. When they were finally close enough, Lucas leaned her head down and Brooke closed her eyes. She felt his cheek brushing against her face and his hands wrapping around her waist as he hugged her. Without opening her eyes, she lifted both hands, wrapping her arms around his neck, hugging him back. They tightened the hug for a second and then he loosened without letting go of her.

"Good night, Brooke" he whispered on her ear, before letting go.

She watched him lean back on his feet and couldn't help the smile on her face, "Good night, Luke."

They went back to their cars and drove off. Lucas was going to pick Peyton up and then head to pick up Haley so they could go to the nightclub where Nathan, Mouth and Skills were supposed to strip dance. Brooke had a date with Chase. She had had her closure, the one she wanted so much. But it wasn't quite as she expected. He had never stopped loving her, as never did she. But they weren't meant to be for now. At least not for now. He said it himself and that thought made her smile all the way long.

_If you are the only one  
__Won't you listen?_

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End file.
